Method of and apparatus for making window bags



METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING WINDOW BAGS Filed May 4, 1955 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Q 70 I I I 63 7/ 3 80 83 67 I 64 a4 qz 42 J z E 95 E II m4 I 5 "If?" ,l

H :T I El 1: :I' J- NVENTOR5.

Haro d Smifhwzck BY Heifer Halbo ATTORNE 6 1936- H. SMITHWICK ETAL METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING WINDOW BAGS Filed May 4, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS Harold fimz'l/zwick 8% 211m 2 ATTQiQNEY H. SMITHWICK El AL 2,026,711

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING WINDOW BAGS Filed May 4, 1955 s Sheets-Sheet s Jan. 7, 1936.

INVENTORS Harold fimz'l/zwz'c/t Fjgzier Ila/b0 WK ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 7, 1 936 UNITEDSTATES PATIENT oFncE Memory OF AND APPARATUS ron MAKING wnmow mos Harold Smithwick, Scarsdale, N. r., and rem- Halbo, Cranford, N.'J., as'slgnors, by mesne assignments, to Ramco, Inc., a corporation of Delaware Application May 4, 1933, Serial No, 669,344

material is generally less expensive than the transparent material and is therefore used for purposes of economy. Moreover, it is relatively diflicult to. print certain transparent materials such as cellulose acetate, regenerated cellulose,

etc. and the relatively opaque material affords a more suitable surface for imprinting whatever legend or design it may be desired to place upon the bag. Y

In United States Patent 1,887,680, granted Nodisclosed a form of bag-making machine adapted to manufacture window bags from continuous webs of transparent and relatively opaque mapanel extends lengthwise of thefinished bag and preferably for the full length of the .same.

In the apparatus disclosed in the aforesaid vember 15, 1932 to Harold E. Hellman, there is 'terials' in such manner that the transparent Hallman patent, bags maybe manufactured froma wide web of relatively opaque material and a narrower web of transparent material, the opaque material being first foldedinto a partial tube in the usual way.

and the transparent material being then fed in position to overlie the intumed margins of the first web and to bridge the gap between them.

' The webs are then united by means of adhesive to form a complete tube and the tube thus made is successively severed into bag blanks, the man-.

ufacture of the blanks into bags being completed Our invention relates particularly to the manner in which the individual bag blanks are formed or severed from the tube and has for an object an improvement in the method and apparatus for severing the materials, and more particularly the web of transparent material.

Our invention has for further objects such ad-.- ditional advantages and improvements as may hereinafter be found to contain.

Our invention contemplates continuously folding a web of relatively opaque material, such as glassine, into a partial tube,,and feeding a narrower web of transparent material, such as cellophane, into position to overlie the intumed margins of tlie first web and to bridge the gap between them, adhesive being applied to cause adherence of the webs to each other and thusto complete the formation of the baguba a serrated edge. While serrated edges of this While our invention contemplates progressing the bag tube thus formed past a severing device of the usual serrated character for thepurpose of cutting the continuous bag tube into individual bag blanks, our invention contemplates making transverse cuts or slits across that portion of the transparent web destined to lie between the edges of the inturned margins of the relatively opaque web, at intervals corresponding to. the length of. the individual bag blanks and coinciding with the 10 serrated cuts made by the severing device.

This pre-cutting or pre-slitting of the transparent web thus provides straight and smooth edges at the ends of 'theindividugl bag blanks over that portion of the transparent web lying between the edges of the inturned margins of the relatively opaque material.

As is well known, the conventional form 3f severing device leaves the severed material with character are not objectionable so far as the relatively transparent materials are concerned, we

have found that regenerated cellulose and other transparent materials are not well adapted to be cut with serrated edgesand we have also found that conventional severing devices which leave the materials cut with serrated edgesas described do not operate as satisfactorily as would be desired upon cellophane. andother transparent materials which are amorphous rather than fibrous in character.

. Preferably, thisis accomplished according to.

our invention by die-cutting transverse slits 'inthe web of "cellophane 'or otherc transparent material as it approaches the point at which it is combined with the folded web of relatively opaque material. Preferably, the slitting of the transparentweb is accomplished as the latter passes over a hard metal roll by means of a revolving straight-edged knife which at periodic 40 intervals bears sharply ainst the web of transparent material passing ver the hardened roll and cuts or slits the material. 1 The die-cutting or slitting is preferably accom- I plished at a point where the transparent material is under no tension, as the low tensile strength of this material combined with the fact that the slits ordinarily extend across the greater portion a of the transverse dimension of the material would the hardened roll against which the cutting die is caused to bear.

The web of transparent material passes first between one of these auxiliary rolls and the draw roll or cutting roll, and then around a portion of the surface of the draw roll and finally between the second auxiliary roll and the draw roll where it is met by and joins the web of relatively opaque material. The die cutting is done as the web of transparent material travels over the surface of the draw'roll between the points of engagement with the first and second auxiliary rolls, respectively, and, due to the uniform peripheral speeds of the three rolls, the web of transparent material is advanced throughthe cutting or slitting point under substantially no.

tensile force. Nor is the web of transparent material subjected to any tensile force after bein slit and prior to being combined with and attached to the web of relatively opaque material;

Our invention also contemplates the provision of means whereby the distance between successive die-cuts or slits in the web of transparent material may be varied in accordance with thepredetermined length of the individual bag blanks Fig. 1, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Figl 3 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a side-elevational view of apparatus shown in Figs. 2 and 3, taken on the line 4-'4 of .Figs. 5 and are vertical sectional views of apparatus-shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, taken on the lines 5--5 and 8-6, respectively, of Fig. 3; v

Fig. '7 is a plan view of a portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 8 is a planview of a portion of a window blank made on the machine shown in the preceding figures; and

Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional view of the blank shown in Fig. '7, taken on the line 9-3 of Fig. 8.

' Similarreference numerals designate similar parts in the several views of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Fig. 1 thereof, thebag tube is inade from a continuous web I of relatively opaque ma-' terial, such as glassine, anda continuous web 2 of transparent material, such as regenerated cellulose, supplied from rolls 3 and 4, respectively,

of the materials.

The web I is fed from a roll 3 over guide rolls 5-.

and 5 and over a forming plate -8 which determines the width of the front of the bag. The side portions of the web I are turned downward outside the lateral edges of the plate 8 by means of deflectors .9 located on eitherside of. the plate 8, while gussets are formed in the sides of the bag bymeans of. gusseting plates I- and a second forming plate I2, while the marginal portions of the web I are folded in under the plate I2 by means of folders I3, inthe manner set forth and described in-the aforesaid Letters Patent No. 1,887,680 to Hallman. As in the aforesaid patent, the free margins of the glassin'e web I are not folded into overlapping relation, but a substantial gap is left between them, as indicated in Figs.

8 and 9.

The relatively narrow web 2 of transparent material is drawn from'the roll 4. over rollers I5, I6 and I1, glue or other adhesive being applied to the margins of the web as the web 2 passes over the roller I5 by means 'of gumming rollers I8 partly immersed in a glue pot I8. The web 2 then passes between a roller 20 and a hardened steel draw roll 2| contiguous thereto, around the 'roll 2| and between the latter andthree relatively narrow draw rollers 22, where it is joined by the web I, The two outer draw rollers 22 are adjusted to act through marginal notches 8a in the forming plate 8 to engage the overlapping margins of the webs I and 2, while the middle roller 22 cooperates with the wide roll 2| through an opening 8b in the forming plate 8 to grip the webs I and 2 at a median point. The pressure of the roll 2| and the rollers 22 causes the gummed margins of the web2 to adhere to the infoldedmargins of the web I, thus completing the gusseted bag tube, which advances along the forming plate 8, where it is severed by means of a stationaryblade located above the end of the plate 8 and a bar 3| adapted to -rotate in a plane normal to that of the bag tube, thus making a succession of upward transverse severing strokes. The intervals between successive strokes of the bar 3| are regulated with respect to the speed of advancement of. the bag tube formed from the combined webs I and2 to sever the tube into bag blan of predetermined length.

The blade 38, as shown in Fig. 7, is provided with a concave saw-toothed edge 33 adapted to cut the gussets and. upper face of the bag tube when the moving bar 3| makes its upward stroke,

while the end of the forming plate 8 is provided with saw-toothed edges 34 adjacent'to and immediately below the outer ends of the serrated portion 33 of the blade 38, and an intermediate edge 35, which maybe free from serrations as shown. The width of the edge portion 35 is made substantiallyequal to the distance between the infoided marginal edges of the web I. The

serrated edges 34 of the forming plate 8 cooperate with the bar 3| to sever the remaining portions of the web' I, as well as themarginal portions of the web 2 located outside-of the infolded marginal edges of the web 3.

At the time of severing, the work is gripped between a roller .48 and a gripping bar 4| carried by a cooperating roller 42, the arrival of the gripping bar 4| in gripping position being timed to coincide with the severing of the material by the upward thrust of the bar 3|.

As in the aforesaid Hallman patent, the bag blank next passes between a feed roll 43 and a-cooperating feed segment 44 and thence to a'folding and pasting coupler comprising cylinders 45 and 46, the cylinder 45 carrying a tucking blade 41' and a pasting bar 48, while the cylinder 45 carries a folding and gripping jaw 5I'and a pasting bit -52. The rotation of the cylinders 45 and 48 is timed with relation tothe arrival of the bag blanks to tuck and fold over the leadingend of each bag blank and paste it against the back of the bag body. The finished bags ass from the cylinders 45 and 45 to a delivery and drying iconveyor 53.

Prior to the severing of the tube by means of the means (not shown).

bar 8|, the'end of the forming plate 8 and the stationary blade 88, the web.2 of transparent material is transversely slit at intervals corresponding to the lengths of the severed bag blanks, the 5 lengths of the slits being substantially equal to the distance between the infolded marginal edges of the web I. The slitting of the web I is accomplished as the latter passes over the hardened surface of the draw roll 2I by means of a rotating 10 die or knife blade68- which bears sharplyagainst the web 2 on the surface of the roll 2| at intervals corresponding to the intervals between successive severing actions of the bar 2|.

According to our invention, we provide means Thehardened steel draw roll 2| is mounted upon a shaft 6|, journalled in brackets 62 and 63, respectively, which are mounted upon the main frame members 64 which support themachine. The'shaft 6.I carries at one end a gear 66 adapted to mesh with a driving gear 81 driven by suitable shaft GI'QGIIiGS a pair of relatively adjustable gears 18 and 'II. The gear I8 is keyed to the shaft 6| while the gear 'II is not, but the gears I8 and II are rigidly fastened together by means of suitable fasteners I2 attach'ed to. the gear II and extending through slots I8 in .the gear -I8. By means of the fasteners I2 and the slots I3 the relative positions of the gears I8 and II may be varied at I the will of the operator.

I 4 .The rollers 22 are mounted upon ashaft 15" 2I are caused to operate at identical peripheral speeds. v 50 The knife blade 68 is mounted in a holder 88,

carried by. a shaft 8i, journalled in lugs 83 forming part of bracket members 84, mounted upon a shaft 85 held in bearing blocks 86, mounted upon the frame members. The brackets 84 are pro- 55 vided with recessed portions .81 in which are mounted metal bearing plates 88 having rubber backing blocks 88 and secured to'the brackets 84 by means of fasteners 88. Thepositions of the brackets 84 are determined by means of set-screws 82, having lock nuts 88, and passing through. bars 84 terminating in flanges 85'. The flanges 85 are adjustably mounted upon the frame members 64 by means of suitable fasteners 86 passing through curved slots 81 in the flanges 85. By means of the set-screws 82, which bear against the surfaces of the plate 88,- the brackets 84 are mounted in such position as to bring the 75 In this position, a gear 88 keyed to the shaft 8 I The opposite end of ,the

meshes with the gear I8, thus providing means for driving the shaft 8| to rotate the knlfeblade 68. In Figl. 2, 3 and 4, a knife blade 68 and a gear 88 are provided which are of such size as to provide transverse slits in the web 2 at relatively frequent intervals, and the brackets 84 are set accordingly by means of the flanges 86 and the setscrews 82. In Figs. 5 and 6, however, the knife blade 68, the holder 88 and the gear88 are of such size' as to slit the web 2 at relatively widely spaced 10 intervals corresponding to relatively long bag blanks, and the brackets 84 are set accordingly.'

In order to manufacture bag blanks of different lengths I provide a suitable number of blade holders 88, blades' 68, and gears 88;which may readily be substituted for each other in order to vary the spacing of the slits in the cellophane web' 2.

The draw roller 28 is also driven from the shaft 6I. This roller 28 is mounted'upon a shaft I88 journalled in a pair of arms I8I, and carries a gear I82 adapted to mesh with the gear 18. The arms I8I are fastened to a pair of L-shaped bars I83 mounted upon the blocks 62 and 63.

, By means of an idler gear I85mounted upon a short shaft I86 journalled in the block 62. and 5 meshing with the adjustable gear II, the shaft 6| drives a gear I81 which is keyed to a shaft I88 carrying a roller I88 adapted to cooperate with a roller II8 to grip the web I of relatively opaque material and advance it into the grip of the rollers 39 2I, and 22. It will therefore be apparent that by varying the angular relation of the gears I8 and, II, the relative positions of the webs I and 2 may be varied with respect to each other in such manner as to cause the slits made in the web 2 by the 5 I .knife ,68 to coincide with severings of the bag blank by means of the moving bar 3!.

It will further be apparent that, due to the fact that the web 2 of transparent material is slit as it passes over the surface of the hardened roll 2| be- 40 tween points of engagement with the rollers 28 and 2|, and 22 and 2|, respectively, the transverse slit is'not subjected to a tensional force which would tend to tear ordisrupt the web 2. Moreover, at no time after the web 2 is slit by 5 means of the knife 68 is it subjected to a tensional .force which would tend to tear or otherwise injure the web 2 at the point where it is'slit.

.The appearanceof the severed end of the bag blank is illustrated in Fig. 8, from which figure it will be seen that -the ends of, the web 2 lying between the infolded marginal edges I28 of the web 2 are not saw-toothed as are the remaining portions'of the ends of the bag blank, but are smooth and straight. Window bags thus made in accordance with our present invention are much lesssubject to injury to the window pore tions thereof than windows bags in which the entire bag 2 is severed in such manner as to leave the ends of both the transparent and opaque 80- material with saw-toothed edges.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that while we have described our invention hereinabove with respect to a preferred form and embodiment,'our invention is not limited to the details ofthis illustrative example, but may variously be embodied within the scope of the claims hereinafter made. T

Weclaim as our invention: a

1. In a machine for making window bags, in

combination, means for forming a partial tube from a; relatively wide web of material, means for applying a relatively narrow web of material to complete said tube, means to slit smoothly said relatively narrow web transversely thereof at points coinciding with said transverse'slits.

2. In a machine for making window bags, in combination, means for forming a partial tube from a relatively wide web of material, means for applying a relatively narrow web of material to complete said tube, and a rotating knife de-' vice adapted to slit-said narrow web transversely at regularly spaced intervals prior to the point at which said relatively narrow web is applied to said relatively wide web. I

3; In a machine for making window bags, in combination, means for forming a partial tube from a relatively wide web of material, means for applying a relatively narrow web of material. to complete 'said tube, a knife adapted to make transverse smooth-edged slits of a length less than the width of said relatively narrow web in said web prior to the point'at which said web is applied to the partial tube formed from said relatively wide web, and means to transverselysever the formed tubes along serrate lines at\ 4. In a machine for making window bags, in combination, means for forming a partial tube from a relatively wide web of material, means for applying a relatively narrow web of material to complete said tube, means for serrately sever ing the tube thereby formed into notched-edge bag blanks, and means for slitting said relatively narrow web transversely over a portion of its width prior to thepoint at which it is'applied to said relatively wide web at intervals corresponding to the intervals between successive severings of said tube into bag blanks whereby the notched edge does not extend across said nar row web. i

5. In a-machine for making window bags, in combination, means for forming a-partial tube from a relatively wide web of material, means for applying a. relatively narrow web of material to complete said tube, and a rotary knife having a peripheral speed equal to that of said webs and adapted to make transverse cuts in said relatively narrow web at predetermined intervals prior to the point at which said webs are combined. i

- 6. In a machine for making window bags, in combination, means for forming a partial tube from a relatively wide web of material, means. fol app y a relatively narrow web of 'material to complete said tube, knife means adaptedto slit saidrelativelynarrow web transversely prior to the point at whiclrsaid webs are combilled; and means for varying the intervals between successive slits made by said-knife means.

7. In am'achine for making window bags, in

combination, mean's tor forming a partial tube from a relatively wide web of material, means for applying a relatively narrow web of material to' complete said tube, a'rotary knife adapted to slit said relatively narrow web transverselyat intervals prior to the point at which said webs are combined, and means for varying the spacing of said slits independently of the speed of said webs.

8. In a machine for making window bags, .in combination, means for forming a partial tube from a relatively wide web 'of material, means for applying a relatively narrow web of material to complete said tube, a rotary knife adapted to comprises forming a relatively wide web of mareIatively wide web of material and a relatively ing of said slits without affecting the relative linear speeds of the cutting edge of said knife and said relatively narrow web.

9. In a machine for making window bags, in combination, means for forming a partial tube from a relatively wide web of material, means for applying a relatively narrow web of material to complete said tube, including aroll having a hard surface adapted to be traversed by said relatively narrow web, and a rotary knife adapted to bear 1 against said relatively narrow web'at intervals as 4 it traverses said roll to slit said narrow web transversely over a, portion of its width.

' 10. In a machine for making window bags, in combination, means for forming a partial tube 1 from a relatively wide-web of material, means for applying a relatively narrow web of 'material to complete said tube, including a roll having a hard surface adapted to be traversed by said relatively narrow web, a second roller adapted to cooperate with said first-mentioned roll to grip and advance said narrow web, a third roller adapted to cooperate with said first-mentioned roller 'to grip and advance said narrow web at a subsequent point, and a" rotating knife. device adapted to bear against said narrow web at intervals asit passes over said first-mentioned roll between said second transversely.

II. In the methodof making window bags by combining a relatively wide web and a relatively narrow web to form a tube and serrately severing said tube at intervals, the step which comprises smoothly slitting said relatively narrow web transversely over a portion of its width at intervals corresponding to the length of the blanks formed by severing said tube whereby the serrations do not extend across said narrow web.

12; The method of making window bags which terial into a partial tube, applying to said web to complete the tube a relatively narrow web of transparent material, forming transverse smoothedged slits in said relatively narrow web before joining said webs, and serrately severing the re"- 4 mainder of tube at intervals coinciding with the slits in said relatively narrow web.

13. Apparatus for making window bags from a relatively wide 'web of material and a relatively narrow web of transparent material which comprises means for forming said wide web into a partial tube, means for applying said narrow web thereto, means adapted to slit said narrow web transversely along smooth-edged lines atintervals, and means for severing the tube thereby formed at intervals substantially coinciding with the slits in said narrow web, said means for severing the tube comprksing a serrated knife.

14. Apparatus for making window bags from a narrow web of transparent material which com-- prises means for-infoldingthe edges of said wide web to form a partial tube, means for smoothly slittingsaid narrow web at intervals transversely over a width substantially equal to the distance between the infolded marginal edges of said wide web, means for applying saidslit narrow web to said wide web to form a complete tube, and means for serrately severing said tube at intervals coinciding with the spacing of the slits in said narrow web. 1

-15. A machine for making window bag blanks from two webs of different widths, which comprises a forming plate, folders for folding inarginal edges of the relatively wide web about the roll and said third roller to slit said narrow web aoeenn v 5 forming plate, means for superimposing the margins 01' said narrow web on the intolded margins of said wide web to form a. tube comprising a pair or cooperating rollers, said forming plate 'cdn uing beyond said rollers and terminating in a severing edge, a; moving member adapted to co-- operate with said severing edge to sever the tube into a plurality ofbag blanks, and a knite'device adapted to cooperate with one oi. said rollers to slit the narrow web transversely prior to the point where the two websare combinedat spaced points coinciding'with the ends of the blanks formed by said severing member. I 

